Takara imports to Australia

[CaminusPrime]

what Takara imports are we still expecting in toys r us?
so far all i can think of is the unite warriors, arcee and the handful of MPs including tracks, roadrage, G2 bee and sideswipe, anything ive missed?

[griffin]

I don't think anything else has been announced at this time.

[CaminusPrime]

I don't think anything else has been announced at this time.

cool, kinda hoping after Arcee they bring out more of the legends line (especially Slipstream, Nightbird and Black Arachnia)

wanted to double check to make sure I wasn't missing anything being locally released later

[drifand]

I dont think sideswipe is making it here though. But I can be wrong.

[CaminusPrime]

UW Superion arrived here for $400

[GoktimusPrime]

What I can currently confirm/tell you so far is:
* LG10 Arcee
* MP10 Optimus Prime
* MP12 Sideswipe
* MP21G G2 Bumblebee
* MP25 Tracks
* UW01 Superion

I've already done the instructions/bio translations for all of these toys for Hasbro, so AFAIK these are toys which Hasbro would like to release here, but I think it's ultimately up to the retail buyers.

[CaminusPrime]

Actually I read somewhere that mp10 had also arrived here at the price of 400 :eek:

Leaving the current prices at
Superion $400
MP10 $400
Sideswipe $150
Goldbug $130

Likely tracks will be $150:(

[DarkHyren]

I find it ridiculous that TRU are selling the Takara MP10 for $400 when they were the main store that had the Hasbro version for $200.
What makes the Takara one worth double the price?
I really find it hard to agree with the majority of TRU prices on the Masterpiece and larger sized figures, they just don't make sense.

[Handsprime]

Don't really understand why the huge prices? I mean if I can easily get it cheaper online, then clearly something wrong is happening here. $100 is the max I would pay for a masterpiece car the size of Sideswipe/Bumblebee

[Lord_Zed]

It's called Straya mate.

MP prices have gone up and the dollars gone down, the bricks and mortar stores got their GST on online stores (supposedly) to bring the online competition into line. A perfect storm which just means local stores can charge even more for imported items, just because that's the Australian way apparently.

Shame too, because I wouldn't mind having an MP with one of Goktimus's bios that I bought from a local store, but alas it looks like the Hasbro MP10 will retain that distinction.

[Bladestorm]

Those prices are ridiculous.

I have one of those in sales on here at the moment for almost 1/2 the price (including shipping!!) of what ToysRUs will be asking for it so I don't see how they can justify their prices. Those ToysRUs prices are almost a 50% markup on retail prices here in HK! Do these expensive prices come about because of import taxes and GST or is ToysRUs in Oz just being greedy like the ToysRUs here (who end up with MP shelf-warming for YEARS)?

[drifand]

Well people complained when Local do not import, so know they do import but people still complaint. I mean if you think those prices are expensive, I see people happy to pay $150 for ironhide, 200+ for shockwave within here.

So technically TRU had just justified other sellers of their high prices.

I find those of us who are especially not into MISB and wanting the cheapest deal, you find that you can save over $30 a piece of what other high price stores offers. And things like mp-10 where on one end you could have gotten it under $200 delivered here saved you $200 just like that.

If you are into box condition then I think BBTS prices is where the medium price is set.

[1AZRAEL1]

Well people complained when Local do not import, so know they do import but people still complaint. I mean if you think those prices are expensive, I see people happy to pay $150 for ironhide, 200+ for shockwave within here.

So technically TRU had just justified other sellers of their high prices.

I find those of us who are especially not into MISB and wanting the cheapest deal, you find that you can save over $30 a piece of what other high price stores offers. And things like mp-10 where on one end you could have gotten it under $200 delivered here saved you $200 just like that.

If you are into box condition then I think BBTS prices is where the medium price is set.

No. Just no. Complaining that they aren't importing stock and we jave to buy overseas, versus them importing stock way overpriced. If I could import figures myself and work out way cheaper than they can offer, I'd be an idiot to buy locally.

[Handsprime]

Well people complained when Local do not import, so know they do import but people still complaint. I mean if you think those prices are expensive, I see people happy to pay $150 for ironhide, 200+ for shockwave within here.

So technically TRU had just justified other sellers of their high prices.

I find those of us who are especially not into MISB and wanting the cheapest deal, you find that you can save over $30 a piece of what other high price stores offers. And things like mp-10 where on one end you could have gotten it under $200 delivered here saved you $200 just like that.

If you are into box condition then I think BBTS prices is where the medium price is set.

The problem is the stores are charging prices that are a lot more than what I can get easily online.
For example MP-10 is gonna cost $400, but I can get one on eBay for less than $300.
Sideswipe is costing $150, I can find him on eBay for that same price, but that time he comes with another masterpiece vehicle.
And it's not just Toys R Us, Myer have been charging $300 for stuff that isn't worth the price.
They might be lucky if they get someone who doesn't know what they are actually worth and fork out $100's on toys, but most of the time they just shelfwarm. Heck you can still find Star Saber and even Ultra Magnus at a few places!

[Sinnertwin]

They're not direct imports -I've seen the shipping cartons for most of them and they're all labelled with Hasbro & not Takara import stampings.

Add the falling Australian Dollar, two Hasbro office mark ups, TRU's mark up and you have a Unite Warrior Superion and MP10 costing you $400.

[drifand]

The problem is the stores are charging prices that are a lot more than what I can get easily online.
For example MP-10 is gonna cost $400, but I can get one on eBay for less than $300.
Sideswipe is costing $150, I can find him on eBay for that same price, but that time he comes with another masterpiece vehicle.
And it's not just Toys R Us, Myer have been charging $300 for stuff that isn't worth the price.
They might be lucky if they get someone who doesn't know what they are actually worth and fork out $100's on toys, but most of the time they just shelfwarm. Heck you can still find Star Saber and even Ultra Magnus at a few places!

Yup I am not in disagreement just saying that they do not view the prices like we do. Some of us do the homework and know where to get the best price, others just don't care and in fact may not even come to the boards.

[griffin]

They're not direct imports -I've seen the shipping cartons for most of them and they're all labelled with Hasbro & not Takara import stampings.

This is what I've been saying on all the news postings - Japanese Transformers get released by Hasbro HK for the Asian market, and as such would have Hasbro master cartons... and it is their stock that we are getting, NOT Japan's stock.

It is understandably confusing for people though, as they see Japanese toy and assume that it is sold by TakaraTomy.

[drifand]

Any real reason why hk stock where tfs are all made in China anyway are still more expensive than Japan ?

Sorry if this was answered before but it is kind of double standard especially when tfs are made there are costing more than a place importing and exporting it out again.

[GoktimusPrime]

They're not direct imports -I've seen the shipping cartons for most of them and they're all labelled with Hasbro & not Takara import stampings.
IMHO this makes it more difficult to justify TRU's prices, since they're not subject to the plethora of import taxes, duties and levies that direct imports are. But this has always been TRU's policies. When TRU were selling the Hasbro Commemorative Series reissues, their initial prices were almost the same as what you would pay from a local specialist import store. So you could purchase a Commemorative Series Starscream (https://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/thumbnail/425x260/2101376-transformers-commemorative-series-ii-starscream-action-figure-0.jpg) from TRU with the goofy looking lengthened missiles (http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AaIZ9ZBWkS8/maxresdefault.jpg), or you could pop by your local import store and purchase a Transformers Collection Starscream (https://s3.amazonaws.com/tf.images/reduced-image_914_106.jpg), with normal sized missiles (http://www.transformerland.com/image/reference_images/19162.jpg), show-accurate colours and Megatron gun (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/7/7a/TFC09ScreamerHoldingMegs.jpg) (as well as tech specs card, file cards & bonus DVD) -- all for about the same price (approx. $75 IIRC). Or you could've just imported it directly from Japan yourself and paid half the price (RRP=2980JPY≈AU$35≈AU$50 w/ postage). But this fact never bothered TRU and they continued to sell their reissues at exorbitant prices, and those Commemorative Series reissues did shelfwarm pretty badly too. They only really started moving when, after a jolly long time, TRU finally decided to slash prices down to $25 each, and even then it still took a while for them to get rid of all their stock.

Fast forward 10-15 years later, and it seems that TRU haven't learnt their lesson. :( And these days, I think that we're a lot more spoilt for choice when it comes to online shopping and importing toys directly ourselves from Japan. There are several Japan based online stores which cater for international markets and sell the toys at below JP RRP if you preorder; HLJ, Amiami, AnimeExport etc. And while local Aussie specialist import stores have become a rarity now, we're now seeing the rise of online Aussie importers, like Premium Collectables etc. We have so much more options for online shopping these days, and brick and mortar retailers like TRU are not just slow to catch up, but seem to be utterly disregarding their online competition and jacking up their prices to ridiculous levels as if no other form of competition exists. :rolleyes:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/meme_truoutoftouch_zpsxbhq8a4g.jpg

[Handsprime]

IMHO this makes it more difficult to justify TRU's prices, since they're not subject to the plethora of import taxes, duties and levies that direct imports are. But this has always been TRU's policies. When TRU were selling the Hasbro Commemorative Series reissues, their initial prices were almost the same as what you would pay from a local specialist import store. So you could purchase a Commemorative Series Starscream (https://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/thumbnail/425x260/2101376-transformers-commemorative-series-ii-starscream-action-figure-0.jpg) from TRU with the goofy looking lengthened missiles (http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AaIZ9ZBWkS8/maxresdefault.jpg), or you could pop by your local import store and purchase a Transformers Collection Starscream (https://s3.amazonaws.com/tf.images/reduced-image_914_106.jpg), with normal sized missiles (http://www.transformerland.com/image/reference_images/19162.jpg), show-accurate colours and Megatron gun (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/7/7a/TFC09ScreamerHoldingMegs.jpg) (as well as tech specs card, file cards & bonus DVD) -- all for about the same price (approx. $75 IIRC). Or you could've just imported it directly from Japan yourself and paid half the price (RRP=2980JPY≈AU$35≈AU$50 w/ postage). But this fact never bothered TRU and they continued to sell their reissues at exorbitant prices, and those Commemorative Series reissues did shelfwarm pretty badly too. They only really started moving when, after a jolly long time, TRU finally decided to slash prices down to $25 each, and even then it still took a while for them to get rid of all their stock.

Fast forward 10-15 years later, and it seems that TRU haven't learnt their lesson. :( And these days, I think that we're a lot more spoilt for choice when it comes to online shopping and importing toys directly ourselves from Japan. There are several Japan based online stores which cater for international markets and sell the toys at below JP RRP if you preorder; HLJ, Amiami, AnimeExport etc. And while local Aussie specialist import stores have become a rarity now, we're now seeing the rise of online Aussie importers, like Premium Collectables etc. We have so much more options for online shopping these days, and brick and mortar retailers like TRU are not just slow to catch up, but seem to be utterly disregarding their online competition and jacking up their prices to ridiculous levels as if no other form of competition exists. :rolleyes:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/meme_truoutoftouch_zpsxbhq8a4g.jpg

Amen to that Brother (https://youtu.be/GxZuq57_bYM?t=1m26s)

[Bladestorm]

This is what I've been saying on all the news postings - Japanese Transformers get released by Hasbro HK for the Asian market, and as such would have Hasbro master cartons... and it is their stock that we are getting, NOT Japan's stock.

It is understandably confusing for people though, as they see Japanese toy and assume that it is sold by TakaraTomy.

This is interesting... Tak Tomy stuff released in HK by Hasbro HK comes in Tak Tomy Boxes... I watched a pallet of MP-10's and MP-23's get delivered to a store 2 weeks ago and the boxes were definitely Tak Tomy - not a sign of a Hasbro logo on them...

Surely they don't waste time un-boxing and re-boxing into Hasbro boxes for Oz? Do they???

[DELTAprime]

Gok translates the Japanese into English for Hasbro so the TRU packaging actually is different than Takara Tomy's. Everywhere else in the world that gets Takara Tomy product just has the Japanese packaging, but sometimes they slap a sticker over some of the Japanese text, I've gotten United figures from China and much of the back of the card is covered by a sticker that presumably translates the Japanese into Mandrin.

[GoktimusPrime]

I only translate the instruction booklets, which also include character bios and little text blurbs etc., but I don't handle anything outside of the booklets. The packaging that Hasbro AU gets is identical to TakaraTOMY's, only that they have English language stickers stuck on the outside for legal purposes (i.e. age limit and legal blurb).

For example, here's a comparison between Hasbro AP's MP Bumblebee that was released at TRU here (left) and TakaraTOMY's MP Bumble (right).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Masterpiece%20Bumblebee/mp_bumblebee_age15_zps48289ccc.jpg
Hasbro have stuck an "Ages 15+" sticker on the front of the box. They may also stick a legal fine print blurb on the bottom of the box, covering TakaraTOMY's legal fine print. That's it. Other than that, the boxes are identical.

[DELTAprime]

Really? I remember you showing off box art with translated text.

[GoktimusPrime]

That was probably the front cover for the booklet.

[drifand]

That was probably the front cover for the booklet.

That will be correct.
I was actually hoping someone to answer why hasbro asia priced their products so much higher when the factory is near to them. And I am speaking in terms of Hong Kong especially.

The current price of what tru offers actually helped to sold my mp-10 off.

Even at 20 percent off is still expensive.